Alone
by Laura Butler
Summary: Being alone can be very terrifying sometimes... but how can someone be scared when nothing can scare him anymore
1. Chapter 1

He was alone in that big mansion now. He should have been scared but he wasn't. Nothing in this world could scare him anymore. He had survived through war, poverty, hunger, and death. God had taken all the people he loved, his father, his grandmother, his grandfather, his stepfather, his sister, his aunt. The only family he had left was his mother and his sister and they were the reason why he had made an oath. He was going to do everything to keep them alive and happy even if he had to give his own life in the process. He walked through the corridor and sat in the first step of the big staircase. He was the man of the house now. He was the authority, well first his mother and then he. He was the man now, not his stepfather. Since he was there ready to protect his family and his "uncle" was nobody knew where.

Wade looked down. To be honest he did not wanted his stepfather to come back, not any more. He did not love him now and he did not wanted that kind of man close to his family. He knew now. He was older now. Rhett Butler was not welcome anymore. He was the kind of man that only loves himself. It was true for a long round that wade had thought that he loved both his little sister and him, but now he knew. His "uncle" only loved himself and his little Bonnie. And now that Bonnie was dead, he had walked away leaving them behind, without a second glance.

Wade closed his eyes. What kind of parent lets a four-year-old ride a pony? And jump fences? He was just a kid and he knew that it was plain stupid. It was logical that his little sister was condemned to fall of that damn pony. And he hated that it was Rhett's fault. He and his stupid pride had taken Bonnie's life. She was dead because her own father never told her "no". Rhett Butler had killed his own child and then he had yelled at them because they were playing in the nursery. He had looked at Ella, and Wade had noticed that he was wishing that she had died instead of Bonnie. Who could be despicable enough to wish that? Now wade admired her mother even more. She had saved him from poverty. She had saved his father's sword from the Yankees. And she had saved him from his stepfather's wrath. His mother had come into the nursery and had taken them away to Melly's house and when they had returned all their toys had been placed in one of the guest rooms, that from that moment had become the new nursery. His mother was not an affectionate parent but she was always there giving him that he needed and saving him from the adversity. If only she had never married that wicked man; she could have spared them a lot of pain.

Wade laid his head on his crossed arms. His mother was suffering. She cried in the nights, alone in her room when no one was supposed to find out, but he knew. She was losing weight and he suspected that she was drinking again. After aunt Melly's funeral, she had stopped but sometimes she acted a little cranky instead of being sad all day. When she was in a bad mood, well, he felt a little uneasy. He had been a silent and sometimes fearful witness of her mother's temper. He wasn't scared of anything in this world, anything except for his mother. It was her temper and strength was what had made her survive. She was strong and it was really hard to try to be stronger than her. But all that he had been through had made him stronger too and the idea of taking care of his family made him feel strong, and confident of his capabilities and courage.

Suddenly, Wade stood up with his chin high, in a clear show of his O'Hara heritage. . Because her mother was not always strong and his sister was too little and innocent to take care of herself, he was the one who was going to protect them. And, as God as his witness, he was going to do it no matter what.


	2. Chapter 2

Hours had passed since midnight. At least he thought so. He looked around him, trying to remember what had awaken him. Just when he was about to give up and fall sleep again... he heard a noise. Maybe a noise was not the right term, but he had heard it so many times before that it had become just that, a noise. Again the noise pierced the silence of the night. Wade rose from the bed and walked through the darkened corridor. This time he was going to do something about it. He was not afraid of tripping over something or..., since he knew the entire house by heart. As some kind of frightening background music, the noise guided him to his mother's room. As he got close, he could hear the rest of the noises that usually accompanied his mother's nightmares.

He was now right in from of his mother's bedroom door. Wade took a deep breath and opened the door. Inside, in the massive bed, his mother was tossing and turning. Suddenly, all the courage that he had gathered left him. He was about to turn around and leave the room when he heard a sob. His mother, the most brave woman in the world, was crying like a little lost child. Wade felt the urge of going next to the bed and soothed her in the same way the he used to calm Ella when she was little.

He was the man of the house now, and men were supposed to take care of the rest of the family. He tiptoed into the room and next to his mother's bed. As he approached her bed, he was able to make out what his mother was whispering. Wade could not believe it. Even after all the pain and all the shame that that bastard had made her go through... Scarlett was calling for him, begging for him to stay. Wade felt the bile raising but he could not reflect on it because all of the sudden, she screamed again. He touched his mother's face and called her name; trying to wake her up. Scarlett mumbled something but did not opened her eyes. So Wade grabbed her by her shoulders and shook her...

"Mother, mother... wake up it's just a dream" Wade said softly.

However, Scarlett was too wrapped up in her nightmare to wake up. Wade looked at her and without hesitation, he gathered her in his arms and hugged her tightly. Whispering softly, reassuring her that everything was going to the alright, in the same way that his aunt Melly had done to him when he was just a child. Little by little, Scarlett relaxed in his arms and fell into peaceful slumber.

Wade stayed quiet for a while, watching his mother sleep. Unfortunately, the position he was in was not comfortable at all so he moved trying to let his mother go and going back to his room. However, Scarlett was so tightly pressed to his body, that any movement to free him out of her grasp could wake her up. Without any order choice, Wade moved them to the side so he could lay on the bed.

The next morning... the birds were already chipping when, he wake up. Wade looked around him, not sure where he was... until last night events ran through his head and he looked down. His mother sleep with her head over his shoulder, and for first time he could see her completely relaxed. She looked so young, he realized that Ella looked a lot like her. Suddenly, he could feel Scarlett stirring. He closed his eyes, pretending to be asleep and saving her from the shame of knowing that your son had seeing her weak and vulnerable.

"I know you are awake" Scarlett said

Wade opened his eyes, feeling his cheeks becoming red.

"Good morning, son" Scarlett said with a small smile in her lips.

"Good morning, mother" he stammered

"Thank you" She said with a spark in her eyes.

"What for?... I mean Why?" he corrected himself quickly, and mentally he blamed for misusing grammar like a child

"For being my hero and save me from my nightmares" she said plainly, still smiling.

"Oh! you're welcome" he said feeling proud and a little ashamed

"Well... I think it's time to get dress and going downstairs to breakfast; because I'm starving" Scarlett announced while getting out of the bed. Her stomach growled and she giggled, for the first time in a long time.

"Ok mother." Wade said

He got up and was leaving the room when his mother called him

"Wade, thanks... I know that I tended to ignore you, but thanks to be there for me, son... now run along"

He was smiling broadly as he walked through the corridor, descended the stairs and reached the dining room. Inside his mother and sister were eating breakfast and enjoying a peaceful silence. When he entered the room, Ella smiled to him, her mouth was to full to scream his name. He smiled her back but as he reached for his usual spot, he realized that there were no plate waiting for him. He looked at her mother and after sipping her coffee, she said

"Wade, you are the man of the house and my savior now... I think it alright if you sit on the head of the table now. This is your rightful place now, my man of the house."

Wade looked at the head of the table and his plate was waiting for him to sit. He felt a rush of pride running through his veins. His mother was giving him the biggest honor he could think of... she was telling that he was officially 'the man of the house' and the biggest authority after herself. Wade sat and looked up. His mother was looking him with a smile on her face. He looked down a little ashamed but immediately he straightened him back and looked up with his chin high. He was a real man now.

This has been sitting in my WIPs for so long that it is better if I just post it. I have a third chapter half written... I will try to finish it soon. I want to finish this story however, I think that each chapter can stand alone.

Any review, correction or suggerence is gladly welcome. =)


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